1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to non-refillable or single use packless valves for pressurized systems. The valve includes a valve housing mounted on a container, and a valve body, movable in the housing by means of a handle, communicating with an elastomeric diaphragm, to allow and prevent release of fluid from the container. A nozzle is provided for venting fluid from the container.
2. Background Art
Pressure tanks or other pressure containers are usually filled under carefully controlled conditions at a charging station and then distributed to various places for use. Unfortunately, the attractive economies of refilling containers at points of use or otherwise repressurizing them under less than carefully supervised conditions has resulted, in the less consequential cases, in the introduction of impurities or inferior refills and, in the more consequential cases, to injurious explosions. The reuse of pressure containers is highly objectionable for many reasons which relate to safety.
U.S. application Ser. No. 102,329, filed on Sept. 29, 1987, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,575 issued Mar. 21, 1989, discloses a non-refillable valve for a pressure container which includes a housing with a central bore which has a lower portion that is narrower than its middle portion which, in turn, is narrower than its upper portion. A side port is present in the lower region of the middle portion and an outlet nozzle is attached to the side port. The lower end of the housing is adapted to sealingly engage the pressure container to provide communication therebetween. The valve stem is rotatably positioned in the upper portion of the central bore. The valve stem contains a vertical bore in its bottom portion. A resilient valve sealing member has a body portion and a top pin which slidably fits into the bore in the valve stem. The sealing member has a top rim portion which has a continuous outer surface and does not have any slots, indentations or the like. Also, the body portion does not have any arm or arms (particularly around its periphery). The top rim portion of the sealing member is comprisingly positioned in the upper portion of the central bore when the valve is inactive or being filled. The valve sealing member is pushed into the middle portion by means of the valve stem when the valve is placed in the active position. The non-compressed top rim of the sealing member is wider than the upper portion of the central bore, which prevents movement of the sealing member back into the upper portion of the central bore. The sealing member engages the seating interface when any refill of the container with pressurized fluid is attempted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,611 discloses a non-refillable valve for a pressure container which includes a housing. The housing has a central bore which has a lower portion that is narrower than the middle portion of the central bore and which has an upper portion that is narrower than the middle portion of the central bore. A side port is present which communicates with the lower region of the middle portion of the central bore. The lower end of the housing is adapted to sealingly engage the pressure container in a manner which provides communication between the pressure container and the lower portion of the central bore. There is an outlet nozzle, having a bore lengthwise therethrough, which is positioned on the side of the housing which is in communication with the middle portion of the central bore via the side port in the housing. Valve stem means is positioned in the upper portion of the central bore in a rotatable manner which advances the valve stem means back and/or forth in the central bore. A tube is mounted on the internal end of the valve stem means which extends into the middle portion of the central bore. There is also a resilient valve sealing member which has a body portion and an upper flange that extends upwardly and outwardly from the body. A longitudinal passageway is present in the body portion, the bottom portion of the longitudinal passageway not extending through the bottom of the body portion. A vertical post is positioned in the middle of the longitudinal passageway, thereby forming a slot around the vertical post. The post slidingly engages the tube on the bottom of the valve stem means. The flange portion of the sealing member is compressingly positioned in the upper portion of the central bore when the valve is inactive or being filled. The valve sealing member is pushed into the middle portion by means of the valve stem means when the valve is placed in the active position. The valve sealing member is seated against the interface between the middle and lower portions of the central bore when the valve is closed. The sealing member is positioned in the middle chamber above the seating interface when the valve is used for discharge of the container. The sealing member sealingly engages the seating interface when refill of container with pressurized fluid is attempted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,980 discloses a valve for a pressurized container having a blocking element therein which is adapted to occupy an initial location in which fluid can move in and out of the container past the blocking element. The valve and blocking element are further configured such that the blocking element can be irreversibly moved to a position in which the valve permits escape of fluid under pressure exerted from the inside of the container, but which automatically closes in response to exposure to an external pressure greater than the pressure inside the container. The blocking element is formed of at least one flexible, radially extending arm whose lateral radius is reduced upon movement of the blocking element from the initial location to the final location. The at least one arm expands within the final location to prevent return of the blocking element to the initial location.
German Published Patent Application No. 3,337,197 discloses non-refillable valves with a blocking element having at least one flexible arm. German '197 is a priority application of U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,980. German '197 also discloses embodiments of non-refillable valves which utilize ball-shaped sealing elements.
British Published Patent Application No. 2,133,502 and French Published Patent Application No. 2,536,818 appear to correspond to German Published Patent Application No. 3,337,197.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,813 discloses a fluid dispersing valve assembly having a body, one end of which is formed for securement to a container. The body forms a conduit having only one through passage for filling and discharging fluid. There is a shut-off valve operable for controlling the flow of fluid through the passage. The shut-off valve has an externally accessible control. There is convertible means in the body comprising an initially inactive check valve initially in condition to accommodate the flow of fluid through the passage in both the filling and discharge directions. The check valve is convertible after an initial filling operation into an active check valve in the passage in series with the shut-off valve. The initially inactive check valve includes a movable valve member, a valve seat, means for biasing the valve member toward the valve seat, and detent means effective initially to prevent the cooperation of the valve member with the valve seat. The detent means is defeatable after an initial filling operation to enable the valve member to engage the seat. The check valve, when active, is operative to pass fluid only in the discharge direction. The check valve, after being rendered active to obstruct the flow of fluid selectively in the filling direction, is guarded against access from the exterior of the valve assembly when secured to a container for reopening the passage to the flow of fluid in the filling direction. Thereby, a container equipped with the valve assembly can be evacuated and then filled with fluid in the initial condition of the valve assembly, but is substantially non-refillable after conversion of the convertible means.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,332 discloses a non-refillable safety valve for a pressure container. The valve includes a housing having a central bore which provides communication between a port and the pressure container for charging and selectively discharging the pressure container. The central bore has a lower portion that is narrower than the upper portion of the central bore. A hollow knob unit, having a central bore, is in threaded engagement with the outer wall of the housing. A core, having a central bore, is slidably mounted in the central bore of the housing. The upper end of the hollow knob unit is mounted on the core in a rotatable manner and in fixed longitudinal relationship with the core. A sealing member is slidably mounted in the lower end portion of the central bore of the core. The core contains end stop means for preventing movement of the sealing member below the lower end of the core. The sealing member engages the central bore of the housing when the core is moved the maximum possible distance into the central bore of the core or when refill is attempted after discharge of the pressure container. The core contains at least one passageway located in the core outward from the sealing member for communication between the central bore of the core and the upper portion of the central core of the housing. An engagable stop means is positioned between the outer surface of the housing and the inner surface of the hollow knob unit in order to limit retrograde or outward movement of the core to a position whereby the sealing member still engages the interface ledge when refilling the pressure container. The engagable stop means engages after the pressure container has been filled and the sealing member, the core and the knob unit have been moved into sealing position.
U.S. Pat. No. 871,780 discloses a bottle having a neck provided with a passage and having a valve chamber at the inner end of the neck. A valve seat is formed in the chamber. There is a valve operable in the latter and provided with a compressible head adapted to close upon the seat and of greater diameter than the passage. The valve is elastic, and is inserted into the chamber of the bottle by forcing it in deformed shape down the neck of a bottle by means of a mechanism similar to a screw press. The bottle is inserted into the press box and the screw is used to force the deformed valve down the bottle neck. The valve mechanism is used to prevent fraudulent substitution of contents; use with pressurized fluids is not mentioned.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,858 describes a control apparatus for a water supply system. The control apparatus has a motor-operated pump for pumping water through a delivery line to one or more valved outlets. The control apparatus includes a pressure switch response to the pressure in the delivery line and operable at preselected upper and lower pressure limits to respectively stop and start the pump motor, and a valve which regulates the flow from the pump to the delivery line to maintain the pressure in the line substantially constant at a valve intermediate the upper and lower pressure limits during normal flow from the delivery line, with a bypass for passing a restricted flow of fluid into the delivery line, when the flow from the delivery line is shut off and the valve is closed, to increase the pressure in the delivery line and operate the switch to shut off the pump motor. The diaphragm also functions as a small expansion chamber to limit the frequency at which the control apparatus will cycle the pump motor, when water is drawn from the delivery line at a rate below the bypass rate, and provision is made for controlling the expansion and contraction of the diaphragm in a manner to effect a rapid increase in pressure into the delivery line to shut off the pump motor, when flow from the delivery line is terminated.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,522 describes a pressure reducer. This fluid pressure reducer has an inlet and outlet chamber connected by a passageway which also provides a valve seat. An annular wall extends into the passageway short of the valve seat to provide a constriction. The valve seat is closable by a valve member carried by a spindle to which is secured a relief piston which rides in the annular wall. The end of the annular wall removed with respect to the valve seat is closed by a spring-loaded diaphragm to provide an after pressure chamber which communicates with the outlet chamber by means of a bore. The spindle extends through the diaphragm in a sealed relationship.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,305,747 describes a safety valve. This safety valve is used in sanitary systems. The valve includes a member having a passage therethrough and a seat for a ball valve. Detachably connected with the seat member is a casing carrying a removable spring-pressed plunger, the inner end of which bears against the ball and controls the pressure in the cooling vessel. The spring is so housed that steam or water escaping through the valve will not come into contact with it. The upper part of the casing is arranged to provide a seat for the ball valve when in its upper position, thus cutting off passage of steam or water above the valve and into the spring housing. Steam escapes through apertures in the casing at the side of the housing.
British Patent No. 2,088,317 describes a bottle stopper for preventing illicit refilling. A stopper for insertion into the mouth of the bottle has a passage in which a valve member is provided to close the passage when the bottle is upright to prevent illicit refilling. Side walls prevent tampering with the member while seal inhibits and indicates removal of the stopper. The stopper may be molded in two or more pieces, and the member may be of spherical, mushroom or other shape. A tubular plug may be inserted in the upper end of the stopper to provide a tighter fit in the mouth of the bottle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,559 discloses, in combination, a container for pressurized gas and a diaphragm valve, the container having a port in the wall thereof. The diaphragm valve has an elongated member body having an elongated central passageway, and a flexible diaphragm positioned in and sealingly affixed to the sides of the elongated central passageway of the elongated body member. The second end opening of the elongated member is axially aligned with the port of the container. The diameter of the central passageway of the elongated central passageway is greater than the diameter of the port of the container. The second end of the elongated member is an outwardly extending surface which is sealingly affixed to the outside surface of the wall of the container around the port of the container. The diaphragm forms a first chamber and a second chamber in the elongated central passageway of the elongated body member. The plane of the diaphragm is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated central passageway of the elongated body member. A valve stem is rotatably positioned in the first chamber in a manner whereby the valve stem can be moved toward or away from the diaphragm. The first end of the valve stem protrudes out of the first chamber. Means for rotating the valve stem is affixed on the first end of the valve stem. There is a port located in the side of the elongated member, which communicates with the second chamber of the elongated member. There is also a short member having a central passageway, which has its first end affixed in the port. The second end of the short member is adapted to be connected to a source of pressurized gas. A second elongated member having a central passageway, is positioned in the second chamber of the first elongated member. The second end of the elongated member extends through the port of the container. The second end of the second elongated member is an outward extending surface which is sealingly affixed to the inside of the wall of the container around the port of the container; the first end of the second elongated member forms a valve seat. The valve seat is positioned near but not in contact with the diaphragm. The end of the first elongated member corresponds to the second end port of the first elongated member and is adapted to be sealingly affixed to a container for compressed gas. There is a member having a central chamber which is open on one end and which has a flat bottom portion. The cup member is positioned in the first chamber of the first elongated member. The bottom portion of the cup member contacts, or is capable of contacting, the flat bottom portion of the cup member. There is a route of communication from the second end of the short member through the central passageway of the short member, the second chamber of the first elongated member and the central passageway of the second elongated member to the second end of the second elongated member. The diaphragm valve is capable of being moved into a closed position by rotating the valve stem inwardly, whereby the flat bottom portion of the cup member sealingly presses the diaphragm against the valve seat of the second elongated member and thereby the route of communication is sealingly interrupted. Preferably, a spring is positioned in the central passageway of the elongated member. The spring contacts the diaphragm and normally holds the diaphragm in the open position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,017 discloses a relief valve particularly suited for interior use in refrigeration systems. The valve includes a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and a passageway therebetween with a valve seat positioned in the passageway. Inside of the passageway are mounted an adjustable valve spring retainer, a coil valve spring, a valve piston including a fluorocarbon sealing surface thereon, and a bearing means mounted between one end of the valve spring and either the retainer or valve piston. The spring retainer is adjusted by turning in its threaded mounting. The bearing means prevents the turning movement applied to the retainer from extending to the valve piston. Any rotational relation between the piston sealing surface and seat which would be deleterious to the sealing engagement is eliminated.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,421 discloses a valve apparatus suitable for, but not limited to use upon one-trip, throw-away fluid containers. A valve body is fitted to the container and has a bore with a port in the end for withdrawal of fluid from the container. A valve head threads into the bore to close the port. A separate member closes the bore and encloses a stem so that the valve head can be operated to open the port and permit controlled discharge of fluid from the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,940 discloses a diaphragm-type valve which includes a valve body provided with inlet and outlet ports in communication with each other through an interposed valve seat. There is a valve element in the valve body including sealing means movable into engagement with the valve seat to interrupt fluid communication between the ports, a valve bonnet joined to the valve body, and a valve stem threadedly mounted in the valve bonnet for rotational and reciprocating movement within the valve body. The valve stem at its inner end is engaged with the sealing means to move the same toward and away from the valve seat. The sealing means includes diaphragm means sub-dividing the interior of the valve body into a stem-receiving area and a fluid flow area wherein the valve seat is located. There is also a flexible impervious cup-like seal cap means having an enlarged open end fluidtightly received around a portion of the valve bonnet, and an opening in the cup-like seal cap means through which the valve stem fluid tightly extends. The diaphragm means and the cup-like impervious seal cap means define with said bonnet a volume which remains substantially constant regardless of the position of the valve stem.
Various diaphragm valves are made and distributed by Henry Valve Company, Melrose Park, Ill., Superior Valve Company, Washington, Pa., and Hoke Valve Co., Cresskill, N.J.
There is a need for a relatively simple and inexpensive valve which will allow normal filling of the pressure container under proper conditions, adequate sealing of the pressure container during nonuse, selective discharge of the pressure container, and effective prevention of improper and unauthorized refilling of the container.
Check valves are old in the art. Concerning the flow of gases, U.S. Pat. No. 2,524,129 discloses a check valve wherein the top outside portion of valve 25 is cylindrical (24) and the bottom outside portion of valve 25 is therefore frustoconical in shape. Valve 25 also has top stem 27. (There are further parts to valve 25.) See the shape of the closure elements in FIGS. 1, 5, 7 and 9 to 11 of British Published Patent Application No. 2,088,317 for non-refillable bottle stoppers. FIGS. 1 and 3 of British '317 show a round closure element and the shaped closure element 39 (although it is substantially hollow).
See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,871,792, 3,922,111, 3,669,407, 4,254,792, 2,710,021, 3,970,285, 3,759,294, 3,700,207, 3,111,141, 3,053,499, 3,025,874, 2,933,284, 2,895,497, 3,876,336 and 4,766,927.